TikTok Is Coming up With the Best Ways to Make the Viral Grinder Sandwich

There's nothing that TikTok can't make viral. This time, it's a sandwich. The Italian grinder sandwich has been trending on the app, and the more we see it the more we want to make one for ourselves. Luckily, it's not too complicated. Just a few minutes in your kitchen is enough time to make one for yourself. Here's what we know about it and how it became so popular online.

Although it's unclear why exactly this sandwich went viral online, The Country Cook points out that "grinder" is simply another word for "hero" or "sub," so this latest TikTok sensation is simply a take on an Italian sub. Depending on where you look, there are different takes on how to put this sandwich together, so you may have to look around online or more specifically on the clock app to see which version best suits you.

Luckily, the recipe for the TikTok grinder sandwich is generally the same regardless of where you look. Italian sandwiches tend to have things like salami and provolone cheese, and this viral version doesn't stray from that. However, what sets this sandwich apart from others is the filling: a salad.

According to one recipe for the sandwich by Ahmad Alzahabi, aka The Golden Balance, you should start out with some thick chicken breasts. Prep them and then coat them generously with various seasonings to your taste. Set your oven to 400°F and stick your chicken in there until the internal temperature reaches 160° — although he doesn't give a time limit, so be sure to check on your meat.

While this is in the oven, you can make that all-important salad.

For the salad, take a mixing bowl and put lots of mayo in it. Ahmad uses Kewpie, which is a type of Japanese mayo, for this recipe. Then, he adds red vinegar, dried oregano, garlic, dijon mustard, sliced green pepperoncini, and chili flakes. He doesn't give exact measurements for any of this, so if this is your first time making it, you may struggle. But lots of people add what they feel makes sense to them and it seems to work out.

Next, Ahmad adds some hot peppers to his salad that may not be in everyone else's version. He does mention that other people have used red onion but because of the intensity of the peppers, he chose not to. Then, he throws some shredded iceberg lettuce and tosses everything together.

To make the sandwich that much better, Ahmad makes his own garlic butter with unsalted, soft butter, parsley, and minced garlic. He mixes that all together puts it on both slices of bread he wants to use (you can use whatever you like), and puts it in the oven next to the chicken.

Once the chicken and bread are done, you have to let them rest and the chicken should sit for at least five minutes. Here, Ahmad adds Munster cheese to the bread before he places his chicken on top.

This may not be the most conventional grinder sandwich TikTok has ever seen, but looks pretty amazing and we can't wait for you to try it.